Find out how popular the last name Else is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Else.

Else, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Else surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Else in America

Else is the 24031st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Else surname appeared 1,049 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Else.

We can also compare 2010 data for Else to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Else

The surname "ELSE" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "ælf," meaning "elf" or "supernatural being." It likely originated in the early medieval period, with some of the earliest recorded instances appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners in England after the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Else, who lived in Yorkshire, England, in the 13th century. The surname was also found in various forms, such as "Ealse," "Elce," and "Elles," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

In the 14th century, the name "ELSE" appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire, which were administrative records of the time. This suggests that the name was well-established in parts of eastern England during this period.

The surname "ELSE" is also associated with various place names in England, such as Elsecar in South Yorkshire and Elsenham in Essex. These place names may have influenced the development and spread of the surname in those regions.

Notable individuals with the surname "ELSE" include:

1. John Else (c. 1644-1721), an English clergyman and author known for his work "The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, D.D., Lord Archbishop of Armagh."
2. Thomas Else (1786-1870), an English Baptist minister and author, who served as the pastor of the Baptist chapel in Woolwich, London.
3. Walter Else (1867-1945), an English artist and illustrator known for his landscape paintings and illustrations for books and magazines.
4. Gertrude Else (1874-1954), an American classical scholar and professor at Stanford University, who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature and philosophy.
5. Sir Samuel Else (1839-1919), a British businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Southampton from 1900 to 1906.

The surname "ELSE" has a rich history rooted in the early medieval period of England, with connections to various regions, place names, and notable individuals over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Else

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Else.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Else was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Else has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Else was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Else, please contact us.

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